Bandages have been devised in the past which comprise an elasticized fabric strip having closure members at one or both ends. The bandage is stretched as it is wrapped about a body part such as a wrist or a knee and then fastened by the closure member on the outermost layer of the bandage. The bandage exerts a compressive force on the body part which is therapeutic for muscle strains, torn ligaments and other ailments. Originally such bandages included metal pins or clamps as a closure device. The metal clamp was mounted on the bandage and presented one or more perpendicular teeth or prongs. To secure the bandage, the prongs of the clamp were inserted into the outer layers of the bandage. However, these clamps were not entirely successful in securing the bandage to the body part and in maintaining the compressive force, particularly as the patient moved. Further, the sharp points of the prongs on the metal clamps are bothersome and potentially injurious to the patient if allowed to penetrate the flesh of the patient. Also, over a period of time the metal clamps tend to tear and damage the bandage material itself.
More recently, bandages have been devised with flexible closure members which are safer and more reliable than the metal clamps. For instance, such closure members have been constructed of Velcro.RTM. material which consists of cooperative hook and loop pile fabric strips. The cooperative strips are attached to opposite sides of the bandage at different points along the length thereof. The bandage is secured to the body part by wrapping it around the body part and bringing the cooperative strips together and is released by pulling the strips apart.
However, although an improvement over metal clamps, such flexible pile closure strips still exhibit undesirable limitations. In particular, adjustment of the diameter of the bandage on the body part and therefore control of the compressive force exerted by the bandage is limited by the relative locations and lengths of the cooperative strips. It is expensive and consequently undesirable to provide either or both of such strips along the entire lengths of both sides of the bandage. Further, such fabric pile closure strips are in and of themselves expensive compared to the cost of the fabric from which the bandage is constructed. Attempts have been made to use only the hook pile portion of the closure member and engage it directly to the bandage itself. These attempts have been unsuccessful as the force required to release such conventional closure members tends to damage and tear the fabric of the bandage. The high level of force required to release the bandage is also undesirable to the patient.
Another problem with conventional winding bandages is the choice of materials used to construct the fabric of the bandage as well as the closure members. Originally cotton or like material was used in conjunction with an elastomeric material to produce a woven fabric with the capability to stretch. Since cotton is not as durable as certain synthetic materials, materials such as polyester have been substituted for cotton. However, these materials were not completely effective when used in close contact with the skin of a patient. Ideally, a bandage should be constructed to draw fluids and secretions, such as blood, sweat and other body liquids, from the skin of the patient and conduct them to the exterior surface of the bandage where they will evaporate or collect for disposal when the bandage is removed. Conventional bandage materials such as cotton and polyester do not possess this property and therefore do not satisfactorily solve all of the above indicated problems.